“The Cat In The Hat” has one of the best menus that will be seen this
year. From the very opening, we get the impression that we have stepped
into one of Dr. Seuss’ books about the abstract and the strange,
complete with widgets and gizmos that prompt and challenge the viewers
to do different things. Viewers, especially young ones, are strongly
advised to sit through the whole menu until it repeats. The two kids in
the movie are a hoot to watch, whether in the film, the menu, or the
outtakes. Maneuvering through the menu triggers further funny responses
on the disc.

The story of “The Cat In the Hat” is probably one of the most
well-known in the world, having been read for generations by kids all
around the planet. Few adults can possibly be found who don’t know the
Cat in the Hat; most have probably read the Cat’s adventure to a young
pre-reader. And the hat — when the familiar red-and-white hat is seen,
nearly everyone recognizes it immediately.

Although the original story never mentioned that the mother was a
single mom (something that would have been extremely rare in children’s
literature when the book originally came out), the movie blends today’s
culture with the fascinating imaginary world Dr. Seuss created. In
keeping with the original book, the opening narration in Chapter 1
begins as poetry. The town is simply breathtaking, matching the look
and feel of a Dr. Seuss world.

In Chapter 2, we learn that the mother, Joan (Kelly Preston), works at
a real estate company and has also been handled the responsibility of
hosting the company party that night. Her boss Lawrence (Adam Baldwin)
doesn’t like kids, and warns her that if her house is as messy as it
was the last time, she’ll be fired. The boss is in a hurry, and the
“whoosh” he makes as he moves away echoes through the surround sound
system. The jingle and jangle of the business office plays through the
left front and right front speakers, placing the audience squarely in
the center of the action.

Chapter 3 offers a teasing bit of expectation with the children, as
Conrad (Spencer Breslin) appears in hairy monster feet that looks like
the Cat’s feet. Conrad is obviously a rule breaker, while Sally (Dakota
Fanning) is completely anal retentive. The suit Conrad makes for
himself to luge indoors is incredibly inventive, involving sponge cakes
and popped popcorn bags for padding. Of course, Conrad makes a complete
mess of the house. The thump of Conrad smacking into Joan’s car lights
up the subwoofer.

The “ping” of Lawrence’s smile broadcasts clear and clean through the
surround sound system. Of course, Lawrence (or Larry, as Conrad calls
him), is a total louse. Lawrence wants to send Conrad off to military
school. (One matter of note is Preston’s cleavage, which is probably
welcomed by Dads everywhere who sit home with the kids to watch the
film, but seems somewhat out of place in a kid’s movie.) Sound effects
also kick in while Lawrence is making martial arts-style moves. The
phone rings through the left front speaker, sharp and immediate.

Joan gets called back in to work in Chapter 5, after Lawrence tells her
he’s too busy to help her clean the house and get ready for the party.
Lawrence fakes his meetings, then returns to his house. The babysitter,
Mrs. Kwon, goes to sleep while watching television, something that
obviously happens all the time.

Chapter 6 returns to the original story, with Conrad and Sally sitting
around with nothing to do. The rain echoes all through the surround
sound system and the thunder quakes through the subwoofer. After the
huge “bump” in the closet that registers heavily on the subwoofer, the
music is used to increase the suspense and let us know something bad is
about to happen. The screaming, screeching kids running through the
house trying to escape the Cat tears through the sound system. Mike
Myers proves again how facile he is with rapid-fire humor. The Cat’s
quick movements are sound-augmented. Then the Cat rips a table top off
and shoots down the staircase while “Wipeout” thunders through the
surround sound system. From there, the Cat sees a picture of the kids’
mother and has highly suggestive reactions that many parents may not
believe belongs in a kid’s movie. The Cat’s phunometer shows that
Conrad and Sally are sadly in need of fun.

The Cat’s hat comes up with the first of many devices in Chapter 7, as
it produces a CD player and the Cat produces an entirely gross
hairball. Right after that, the Fish climbs out of his fishbowl and
starts talking. The Carmen Miranda number, complete with fruit bowl
hat, rocks the surround sound system, but again, the Cat uses
suggestive humor that parents may feel is inappropriate. The thunder of
a bull running into the wall is huge, but pales in comparison to the
horrible belch that follows. The kids have to sign a contract to keep
the Cat with them.

In
Chapter 8, the Cat induces the kids to invade the living room after
they were told not to enter it. Again, although parents will probably
love Mike Myers’ humor, some parents may object to the “plumber’s butt”
the Cat displays while making adjustments to the couch. An elephant
trumpeting rolls through the surround sound system as country ho-down
music fills the speakers. Flashbacks reviewed by the Fish are hilarious
when shown so rapidly. Then Lawrence shows up to raid Joan’s
refrigerator (and some parents may question Joan’s having beer in the
fridge) and let Sally know how rotten he truly is. The television show
in the kitchen is extremely funny, showcasing Myers’ talent for
accents, especially the Scottish dialect that is much like the one he
uses in the “Shrek” movies. The language that the Cat uses when he
chops his tail off, although he only partially says it, may also be
objectionable. The head-bobbing soul sister putdown is riotous,
especially when accompanied by the snappy soundtrack that rolls through
the surround system.

Chapter 10 moves forward in a huge
step when the Cat brings Thing 1 and Thing 2 in to clean up the mess
made by the Kupkake-inator. The Crab lock the Cat uses to keep the box
closed is awesome. Of course, the Cat tells Conrad he can’t open the
curious box and, of course, the presence of Thing 1 and Thing 2
immediately make the bad situation even worse in seconds. The household
belongings get broken, scattered, and messed up even worse than before.
Sally and Conrad pursue the Things with huge nets, and the musical
accompaniment makes the situation even more active. Conrad picks the
crab lock, which promptly affixes itself to the dog’s collar. The
Things play football with the dog, tossing him through the window and
letting him get lost with the crab lock.

The Cat tells Sally and Conrad in Chapter 11 that things are going to
get even worse now that the crate is unlocked. If the lock isn’t found,
the Mother of All Messes will arrive. The Cat plays organ music that
rolls through the surround sound system. Next door, Lawrence takes off
his girdle, removes his dentures, and gets his television repossessed,
letting the viewers know exactly what a deadbeat he is. Lawrence
decides to go after the dog to try to get in Joan’s good graces. The
Cat plays dramatic music on his whiskers, which is very funny. The
Fish’s breakdown is terrific. However, again the Cat potentially steps
over the comfort zone of some parents with his double entendres (which
are warned about on the DVD box).

In Chapter 12, the Cat masquerades as a piñata with disastrous results.
Later in the chapter, the Cat reveals that he has a vehicle and the
“dust cover” is a work of computer graphics that has to be seen to be
believed. The Cat’s car engine roars in Chapter 13, thundering through
the subwoofer. The Fish is used as a siren.

The story progresses like a rocket ship on rails, heading through
familiar territory for kids’ stories with lessons, but the sound treats
continue with the clang of the wreck, the “whoosh” of the Cat’s hat
airbag deploying, the rifle-like sound of the huge ink pen Lawrence
uses, and the music in the underground dance club. Later, the Cat’s
home world invades Conrad and Sally’s home, bringing with it dozens of
interesting noises and sounds that kids will enjoy.

The DVD has a lot of extras, all of them broken down in short segments
that are bite-sized for kids who bring them up. They’re also
interesting on the same level as the movie, presenting young viewers
with a lot to do, as well as plenty of Myers in the Cat makeup.

Although “The Cat In The Hat” has some questionable double entendres
and some episodes of near-cursing, the movie itself provides enough
action and excitement to lure an adult mind through it, and plenty of
visual stimuli and music to draw young viewers into the Cat’s zany,
madcap world. Perhaps only a real Myers enthusiast would want to pick
up the DVD to complete a collection, but the movie is definitely worth
a rental for a family night of light entertainment, or for one of those
movies pre-schoolers and kindergarteners will watch again and again.

more details

sound format:

English 5.1 Dolby Surround English; Spanish; French

aspect ratio(s):

Widescreen (1.85:1) (also available in Fullscreen 1.33:1)

special features:

Dance-Along
With the Cat: Learn How To Dance Just Like The Cat With Fun,
Easy-to-Follow Steps; 16 Deleted Scenes: Never-Before-Seen Footage With
Lots Of Surprises; 20 Outtakes: Hilarious Bloopers Featuring Mike Myers
As The Cat; The Purrr-fect Stamp: An Unprecedented Look At The Making
Of A New U. S. Stamp Celebrating The Real Dr. Seuss; Behind-the-Scenes
Magic; The Dirt on D.I.R.T.: How The Magical Cleaning Machine Came To
Life; Seussville U.S.A.: See How Everyday Pomona, CA Was Transformed
Into Fantastical Seussland; The Mother Of All Messes: Learn How Special
Effects Created The Biggest Mess Ever!; The Music: A Firsthand Look At
Unusual Seussian Instruments; Plus More On The Cat, The Fish, The Kids,
And The S.L.O.W.; English Closed-Captioning